The atmosphere was tense, and the air was filled with the intense smell of blood and rotting flesh. Valentinus glanced at Ipsilas and Sebastian, unsure which one he should deal with first. Ipsilas could no longer contain his excitement and lunged forward toward Sebastian. However, Sebastian greeted him by slamming his hammer into the ground, creating a cloud of dust.

  “USELESS!” Ipsilas shouted as his rapier pierced through the dust, aiming for Sebastian’s head.

  But Sebastian was no longer there. He appeared out of nowhere beside Ipsilas, swinging his hammer toward Ipsilas’s body. Ipsilas managed to bring his rapier back in time to defend his vital organs, but the force of the blow sent him flying toward the wall. He broke his momentum by slamming his rapier into the ground, his smile growing even wider.

  He could feel the adrenaline rushing through his veins.

  “CAN YOU FEEL IT, SAINT?! CAN YOU FEEL THE EXCITEMENT!” Ipsilas roared.

  Sebastian dashed forward through the cloud of dust, his hammer shining brightly as it descended, ready to strike. His eyes burned with anger, his rage so intense it felt like it was consuming his entire body. Ipsilas smiled, for he now realized something: the Saint before him was not so different from himself.

  “DIVINE HAMMER!”

  “BLOOMING LOTUS!”

  Sebastian’s hammer and Ipsilas’s rapier clashed midair. A gust of wind erupted, blowing violently in every direction and sending the surrounding monsters flying. A bright golden light collided with a brilliant blue flame, and the power they emitted exploded violently, destroying the church in an instant.

  Through the rubble, Valentinus managed to survive. He had created a shield using his monster’s power and searched for Sebastian and Ipsilas, assuming they would be weakened by the previous attack. But he was wrong. Completely wrong.

  “DON’T THINK I FORGOT ABOUT YOU!” Ipsilas’s rapier flew toward Valentinus’s head, stopping just inches from his eyeball. Death was mere inches away, ready to claim his life. Valentinus’s body jolted away from the rapier’s path, narrowly escaping death.

  Suddenly, Ipsilas appeared behind him, grabbing his rapier and thrusting it toward Valentinus’s heart. Valentinus’s monster intercepted the attack, sacrificing itself in the process. However, Ipsilas’s thrust was so powerful that it pierced through the monster’s body and wounded Valentinus.

  As if in some cruel joke, Sebastian appeared in front of Valentinus, his hammer itching to strike. With all his might, Sebastian swung his hammer toward Valentinus’s head.

  “GET AWAY FROM ME!” Valentinus shouted. A small purple orb appeared at the center of his body and burst violently in a split second. The explosion sent everything around him flying like a force field. Church rubble was hurled into the sky, raining down on the city, and both Sebastian and Ipsilas were caught in the blast.

  Sebastian was flung toward the city, crashing into a building. Despite the incredible speed of the impact, he felt no pain or discomfort. He looked up at the sky as hundreds of stone boulders rained down like a meteor shower. But he had no time to dwell on the moment—he had someone to kill.

  Ipsilas, meanwhile, was sent flying straight into a soldier encampment, crashing into one of the tents. Soldiers rushed toward him, wondering what had happened. Ipsilas stood up as if nothing had occurred, brushed the dust off his body, and walked away without a word. One thing was certain: his face couldn’t stop smiling. Every soldier who witnessed the event was deeply unsettled by his eerie expression.

  Ipsilas entered one of the tents, where he found Edward, his most trusted captain, looking at him with a mix of indifference and fear. Alexi was also there, having been tasked with protecting Edward from the rampaging monsters across the city. Seeing his Marshall with such a strange expression made Alexi even more alert.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  Ipsilas sat down in front of Edward and said, “Your son is amazing, Captain. He’s really... entertaining.”

  Edward looked at him suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

  “He’s a Saint. And hush—I don’t want to hear your excuses for hiding him. But he’s different from every other Saint.”

  “Different?”

  “He’s a force of nature. However, he’s holding himself back right now. I can feel it! He just needs another push to become the best thing that’s ever happened to me!”

  Alexi slowly unsheathed his sword, but suddenly, his blade slammed back into its scabbard, and blood poured from a fresh wound on his hand. A scream echoed as Alexi rolled on the ground in pain. Edward wanted to help, but a single glance from Ipsilas froze him in place.

  “You’re coming with me, Edward,” Ipsilas declared.

  Valentinus could feel his body growing weaker, but the relic’s power continued to intensify. He felt an immense, insatiable hunger. The relic whispered in his ear in an ancient tongue, forgotten by time and buried in myth. Yet, Valentinus understood every word. He must feed. He must consume. That was his true purpose—he was a devourer.

  Sebastian descended from the sky, slamming down near Valentinus. The old, weak cardinal blocked the attack with his bare hand. The relic guided Valentinus’s movements, making him more perceptive and nimbler than ever before.

  He must consume.

  He must eat.

  He must eat everything.

  Valentinus roared like a beast as the relic consumed the last remnants of his soul. His soul was now beyond salvation; the relic had full control of his body.

  “I AM THE DEVOURER, SCOURGE OF HEAVEN!” Valentinus bellowed.

  Sebastian felt a wave of unholy power slam through his body. Such wicked power from a wicked relic. He knew he had to end this blasphemy now. Without a word, he propelled himself toward the creature that was once Valentinus. His hammer glowed, infused with holy power. His heart was fearless, for God was with him.

  Sebastian swung his hammer at Valentinus, aiming for his head. A loud clang echoed as Valentinus deflected the attack. Not wasting a moment, Sebastian spun around to gain momentum and bashed his shield into Valentinus with all his might. A shockwave rippled outward as the two clashed.

  Power began to gather within Valentinus’s body. His arm glowed with a purple, unholy light before he punched Sebastian’s shield.

  “Black Hole.”

  Even with the holy power reinforcing it, the shield exploded in Sebastian’s hand. The force of the blow knocked him back, his body skipping across the dirt before slowing to a stop. This creature was truly dangerous—its existence was something that should never have been allowed in this world.

  Sebastian dashed forward, hammer in hand and faith in his heart. He fought Valentinus valiantly. Their battle was a terrifying display of strength and agility. Without a shield to block Valentinus’s attacks, Sebastian relied on his dodging skills. His movements were calculated, like a well-oiled machine, while Valentinus’s attacks were brutal, resembling a savage form of martial arts.

  As the fight grew more intense, a rapier flew between Sebastian and Valentinus, interrupting their clash. Ipsilas appeared with a wide smile, carrying something in his hand.

  “How dare you two have fun without me,” he said.

  Sebastian’s expression darkened. He tightened his grip on his hammer, ready for whatever Ipsilas might bring to the fight.

  “How amazing God’s blessings are! He’s answered all my prayers today, all at once!” Ipsilas said menacingly, his gaze fixed on Sebastian. “However, you, Saint, are underperforming. Don’t get me wrong—you’re not bad, but you’re just not that good.”

  Sebastian remained silent, refusing to fall for Ipsilas’s taunts.

  “Catch,” Ipsilas said, throwing Apollonia’s necklace at Sebastian.

  As the necklace flew through the air, time seemed to slow for Sebastian. His heart sank. His mouth fell open in disbelief. It couldn’t be. What had Ipsilas done? Why had he done it?

  Valentinus seized the opportunity, dashing toward Sebastian. His hand hardened into a blade, ready to decapitate him. But Ipsilas intervened, blocking the attack with his foot and kicking Valentinus away.

  “NOT SO FAST! WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED HERE!” Ipsilas shouted.

  Sebastian caught the necklace, noticing the bloodstains on it. He turned slowly to face Ipsilas, his voice trembling with rage. “You’ll die, Ipsilas. In the most painful way possible. I swear it.”

  Tears of blood streamed from Sebastian’s eyes. His heart ached and burned with immense fury.

  “Good. Let that hatred flow through you,” Ipsilas said, walking toward his rapier and picking it up. He wiped the blade with a cloth. “It’ll make this fight even more entertaining!”

  Sebastian rushed toward Ipsilas, and Valentinus followed suit. Now, the three of them were locked in a deadly battle, one that would only end in bitter destruction.